First look: Ford freshens Ranger for 2009

FORD’S Ranger one-tonne utility has come in for a major exterior overhaul, plus equipment upgrades across a revised model range – just two years after it banished the Courier nameplate and brought a new look and new diesel engines in early 2007.

While the redesigned, T6-codenamed Ranger continues to be developed by Ford’s Asia-Pacific and Africa design and engineering team based at Broadmeadows and remains at least two years away, the facelifted PK-series Ranger was produced by the same Australian team and will go on sale here in the second quarter of 2009.

Nor is the 2009 Ranger, which is manufactured in Thailand for more than 130 nations globally including Australia, to be confused with the US-market Ranger. The latter is a larger Explorer-based pick-up that for the first time will feature electronic stability control (ESC) when the 2010 model is launched in the US mid-year.

Ford Australia’s facelifted Ranger, which was previewed by the Ranger Max concept at last November’s Thailand motor show, will not be available with ESC as expected, but it will feature a number of technical upgrades to go with its new-look front-end.

Apart from its radical new headlights, other ‘kinetic’ design cues for Ford’s latest light commercial vehicle include a new three-bar grille, new front bumper, redesigned bonnet with power bulge, new tail-light clusters and new tailgate cladding.

New amber-coloured illumination, fresh seat trim fabrics and the addition of an auxiliary input for iPod/MP3 players are the 2009 Ranger’s interior highlights.

The 2009 Ranger line-up will be topped by a new 4x4 Crew Cab Pick-up flagship dubbed the Wildtrak and powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine mated to either manual or automatic transmissions.

The top-shelf Wildtrak ‘hero’ model features a number of unique features in addition to the XLT specification level, including a rear roller shutter with integrated bed-liner and 12-volt power outlet, 18-inch alloy wheels, a Wildtrak sports bar, Wildtrak box rail, roof-rails, side mirrors with integrated indicators and puddle lamps, a front fender grille with Ranger nomenclature and Wildtrak door and tailgate decals.

Inside, the Wildtrak will offer an Alcantara leather interior package, a ‘Multi-meter’ device (featuring inside and outside temperature displays, fore/aft tilt angles and a compass), a leather-clad steering wheel and gearshift boot, silver-finish gearshift surround, stainless-steel door scuff plates with Ford logos, Ranger-badged carpet floor mats, ‘premium’ lighting and a sliding tray with silver accent spear.

Next quarter’s PK-series Ranger will also bring with it a model range shake-up, including the addition of three 4x2 and one further 4x4 variant in the auto-only XL Crew Cab Chassis, powered by the same 3.0-litre diesel engine.

The three new Ranger 4x2 variants are the XL Crew Cab Pick-up (2.5-litre auto), the XL Hi-Rider Crew Cab Chassis (3.0-litre auto) and the XLT Hi-Rider Crew Cab Pick-up (3.0-litre auto and manual).

Other new features include new foglight bezels for the XLT and Wildtrak, new 16-inch alloy wheels for the XLT, new over-fender flares with intergrated mudflaps for the 4x2 Hi-Rider and 4x4 variants and Ranger badging for the tailgate cladding on XLT and Wildtrak models.

The Ranger’s 105kW/330Nm 2.5-litre and 115kW/380Nm 3.0-litre Duratorq TDCi turbo-diesel engines, which replaced the Courier’s petrol engine and less powerful 2.5-litre diesel engine, continue unchanged.

Similarly, Ford continues to claim the Ranger offers class-leading towing capability, with 2.5-litre 4x2 models rated at up to 2250kg and 3.0-litre 4x4 now able to two up to 3000kg.

“Its contemporary design gives new Ranger instant credibility as an urban vehicle and its versatility makes Ranger a logical lifestyle choice,” said Ford Motor Company Asia Pacific and Africa design director Scott Strong.

“The very positive reaction to Ranger Max validated our ‘Tough Style’ design direction for the new Ranger,” said Ford Asia Pacific and Africa chief designer Paul Gibson.

“Ranger Max is visually distinctive and muscular and those same design elements such as the wide grille and open mouth air intake [feeding the intercooler and radiator] are used effectively on new Ford Ranger.

“We’re convinced that the new Ranger's design will hit home with buyers who appreciate a truck that looks tough and is tough. And they can be sure that the new Ranger is as capable as ever.”

Read more:

First look: Max previews Ford’s Aussie Ranger

First drive: Blue Oval calls in the Ranger